Local Bodies well-researched post showed how much our public education system has been undermined by the current government:
In 2008 New Zealand was internationally ranked in the top seven for educational achievement, and when you compared us with other countries that were also culturally diverse and were experiencing growing inequality we were extremely successful.
[…]
We were just on the cusp of something great when an election occurred…
A National led Government was elected and New Zealand’s public education system came under heavy attack:
[…]
After five years under National, New Zealand’s international ranking plummets to as low as 23rd.
As Local Bodies indicated there is a strong connection between education and the social system; between a good public education system for all being part of a waider policy to decrease the inequality gap.
Tomorrow Today the NZEI (New Zealand Education Institute) has demonstrations planned in Auckland and Wellington focusing on the importance for children of their families receiving a living wage.
The one in Wellington is at the same time as the TPP protests around the country.
1pm at Parliament
It’s time to tackle inequality! A community event with a Pasifika band, children’s choir and kapa haka.
Every child deserves a chance in life, but more than one in four Kiwi kids live in poverty. That inequality is the biggest hurdle to education success.
The Government is putting millions into highly paid “new roles” for some principals and teachers, but ignoring child poverty. It has rejected a living wage for low paid teacher aides and support staff who directly support students with the greatest needs.
If you want a living wage for learning for kids and education workers, come and join us to show your support!
The Auckland Living Wage demonstration ends at Aotea Square at the same time as the TPP protest is beginning there.
I don’t understand why the iwi leaders object to this protest on the same day as Hekia Parata is playing a significant role on behalf of NZ at an international conference on education in Wellington. Perhaps there’s something I’ve missed?
Support the anti-TPP Day of Action
The Anti-TPP rallies and marches are mostly being at 1pm around the country – check the start time for your local protest as one or two are earlier than 1pm. Details listed here:
After four years, the corporate deal of the century – aka the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – is still being negotiated in secret.
The TPPA puts our sovereignty at risk, violates our democratic right to decide our own future, and wastes taxpayers’ money that should be spent on social, not corporate, welfare.
It needs to stop. Now.
The National Day of Action Against the TPPA on 29 March will mark the fourth anniversary and send the government a message – Stop the TPPA!
Join the rallies, marches and events in your area: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Geraldine, Hamilton, Hokianga, Invercargill, Kaitaia, Nelson, Palmerston North, Taranaki, Tauranga, Thames, Whanganui, Wellington, Whangarei
If there’s nothing happening, start something yourself. If you do organise something people get in touch with us. through chris.zack@gmail.com or webadmin@itsourfuture.org.nz in case we know of something else being planned and can put you in touch with others.
If you need some materials, check here where we have a bunch and can create others as required.
Need some reasons why you should come out this Saturday for the nationwide day of action? Check out some of our sponsors’ reasons.
Yes, social welfare and security, not corporate welfare. The TPP will make it even harder to decrease the inequality gap and work towards a more sustainable and livable society for all Kiwis.
[Update] Report on the protests:
NZEI demonstration. Auckland.
It was a pretty good sized crowd.
And it made a lot of vigorous noise walking up Queen Street – non-stop chanting. Often there was a different chant coming from the front of the march (led by a guy on a megaphone) from the chant coming from the back of the march (to the sound of a tambourine). The combined sound was really impressive – sharp, assertive and somehow made the march seem united. It definitely got the attention of bystanders.
I learned that a lot of school support workers, who have been doing their essential jobs for many years, are still not getting a living wage.
Green and Labour MPs attended (including Metiria Turei and David Cunliffe), along with people from Mana, like John Minto.
TPPA rally and march – Auckland
Attendance was pretty substantial. Stuff says nearly 2000. Video at the link. NZ Herald says several thousand.
Later, Kelsey was critical of Labour’s timid response to the TPPA – kind of a step forward, in wanting to see the text of the TPPA before the NZ government signs it, … but not a very strong line.
NZ Herald reports:
Labour leader David Cunliffe received a few heckles but generally polite applause when he outlined his party’s stance on the TPPA to the crowd.
“We are demanding the Government release the text and the details,” he said. “This deal needs to be in the public domain so that New Zealanders can be informed and we can have a proper public debate … I can’t say today what our final position is going to be because we are going to wait until we see the details.”
The march ended at the US Embassy. There was quite a large crowd there, listening to some speeches.
NZ Herald reports:
Former Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, whose speech on the ills of the TPPA received the loudest cheers of the day, said the agreement was “an extremely dangerous initiative”.
“At the heart it is a huge lie which pretends this is about trade. It’s not about trade, it’s about allowing foreign corporations to over-ride the decisions of democratically elected governments.
“The fact that it has a specific clause in it to allow investor corporations to sue our government if it takes any actions which reduces their profits … that is the most anti-democratic thing that has ever happened in my lifetime.”
Jane Kelsey told it like it is, while revving up the crowd outside the US Embassy, with lots of loud chants of “Shame,Shame, Shame!”
Standardista, greywarbler, reports on the Nelson anti-TPPA demonstration, in the comments under this post. He begins:
Went well in Nelson. We had a Canadian speaker a woman called Fosse I think. She was excellent and one point I had to get my head around is that corporates can sue for expected profits not received, if our gummint did anything that might get in the way of that.
Macro reports on the protests at Thames and Hamilton, beginning with:
11am Gathering of 30+ people here in Thames outside local MP Scott Simpsons office, to hear Catherine Delahunty speak on the reasons why this behind closed doors deal is so pernicious.
11.30 am Off to Hamilton to attend the rally at the Garden Centre there. Crowd slowly gathered to max out at around 200+ to hear music and speakers in the sun. Speakers from Mana, Greens (Catherine D), NZ First, Maori Party, Labour, Social Democrats?
More at the link.
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